What is L-carnitine and which foods have it?

Q: Dear Dr. Mao,
I am confused about L-carnitine. My wife needs to reduce her triglycerides and increase her good cholesterol. What foods have the highest amounts of L-carnitine?

A: L-carnitine, or levocarnitine, is a quaternary ammonium compound derived from the amino acid lysine and is responsible for the transport of fatty acids within the cells, thereby affecting fate metabolism. Since this is a derivative of an essential amino acid, it must be obtained from outside sources.

The most available source is red beef meat (3.5 oz containing almost 95mg). However, with today’s additive-rich, hormone-laden, and fatty meats, the better natural source for L-carnitine can be nuts, seeds, and many vegetable products, including artichokes, asparagus, beet greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, garlic, mustard greens, okra, and parsley. The added benefits of the other elements of these foods far outweigh the red meat as a sole source of obtaining L-carnitine.

t

u

v

w

x

y

z

No categories

This website is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The website user should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented. The names of organizations, products and alternative therapies appearing in the content are again given for informational purposes only and not necessarily as an endorsement.